Whiffletree



(No Modelf) WHIFPLETREB.

Patented Feb. l5, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES' O. H. HOBBS, OF LOUISVILLE, NEBRASKA.

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,031, dated February 16, 1897.

Application filed May 4, 1896.

To all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES C. H. I-IOBBS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Louisville, in the county of Cass and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Whiiiletrees, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the drawings making a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in whiflietrees to be used on wagons, carriages, dsc., and has for its obj ect the attainment of a perfect distribution of draft upon the horse or horses.

My invention consists of a compound adjustable whiilletree composed of sections mounted on a base-plate pivotally attached to the evener or cross-piece at its center, or the sections may be mounted directly on the evener or cross-piece, said sections provided with tug-hooks or a hole in the outer end to receive hooks and at their inner adjacent ends slotted longitudinally to move on a bolt between the double flanges of a turning table in the center, turning pivotally upon `the baseplate or upon the evener sustained thereon pivotally, this construction limiting the movement of said sections relative to said baseplate or evener.

It further consists in certain details of construction and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a plan view of my improvement in whiftletrees. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in elevation of the pivotal plates between the base-plate and evener. It will be understood that the 'same arrangement of plates is found between the whiiietree-sections and the base-plates. Fig. 4 is an elevation, similar to Fig. 3, showing the pivotal or center plates made independent of and separable from the parts to which they are intended to be attached. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one end of the evener, showing the lower center plate formed thereon. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the slotted inner end of a whiftletree-section. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the sections when pivoted directly on the evener.

serai No. 590,248. (No man.)

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the different iigures of the drawings.

a a. represent the whiftletree-sections proper.

b represents the base-plate.

C indicates the evener, which is centrally pivoted in the usual manner.

The whiflietree-sections are provided at the outer ends with tug-hooks g, or holes therefor, as shown in Fig. 2, for attachment of tug lines or traces, and at their inner adjacent ends slotted to receive the bolt lc in the double flanges of the turning table h, attached pivotally upon the bolt cl, that holds the baseplate to the evener or sustains the turning table upon the evener when base-plate is not in use. The whiffletree-sections a, a thus become potent levers acting upon the turning table, the inner adjacent slotted ends moving upon the bolts between the double flanges Vin the slots ff in instant and sensitive adjustment.

At a point intermediate the hook g and slot f each section a is pivoted to the outer swinging end of the base-plate b, or direct upon the evener C if preferred, as shown at e e, Fig. 7, and the base-plate is pivoted in like manner at its center to theouter swinging end of the evener C, the annular plates or sockets on which they turn being cast in them, adapted by clamp-anges, screwed or riveted as preferred.

The sections a and base-plate b are made of malleable iron, steel, or any suitable material. ij represent the center plates, all as fully shown and described in my Patent No. 521,028, granted June 5, 1894.

By means of the construction described it is evident that the whiflietree as a whole will adjust itself in relation to the horse, doing away with all undue and sudden strain upon the animal.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a compound whiifletree, the pivoted Whiftletree-sections, in combination with the centrally pivoted turning table connecting the inner, adjacent ends of said sections, substantially as described.

2. Two whiffletree-sections centrally connected by a turn-table, the inner, adjacent adjacent ends of said sections, substantially ends of said sections being slotted to move as and for the purpose set forth. on bolts connecting" them with said turntable, substantially as described.

3. A compound Whfetree composed of pvoted Whifetree-seetons and an interposed turn-table having slotted connection with the JAMES C. H. II'OBBS.

Vtnesses:

G. A. ASHMUN, G. A. ASHMUN, Jr. 

